


In the Lands of the Dead They Dwell

by LadyBrooke



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22307443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: Fingon rescues Maedhros, from some perspectives (but never his own).
Comments: 11
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a 100 words of canon divergence prompt on FFA.

Fingon walks into Morgoth’s lands with a harp, a request for aid, and a bow. 

No plea for mercy passes over mountain and water to Manwë’s ears, and no eagle comes to aid.

Fingon raises his bow just once for his cousin’s rescue from torment. 

Maedhros does not walk among his brothers again until they join him in the Halls one by one. 

Fingon fights and lives in Morgoth’s lands until all his arrows are spent. 

Then he passes into Namo’s hold unheralded and fate unknown by any living elf, holding himself a worse kinslayer than any of the rest.


	2. Chapter 2

Fingon enters the Halls as silently as he had granted death to Morgoth’s servants.

His entrance is unnoticed at first - the Halls are not full, though Elenwë and Argon dwell near each other, on one side of Finwë’s room. Fëanor’s room is on the other, Maedhros’ unused as his father keeps him close.

Fingon’s room shimmers opposite Finwë’s. Námo wills it into existence.

Fingon wills it to disappear before any notices. 

He tells himself he does not deserve to be considered family, when he was the one to slay Maedhros and when he has spent so long in Morgoth’s lands. 

It is Fëanor who finds him - Fëanor who Fingon expects to scream and rage at the kinslayer who killed his son.

Fëanor who wraps him in his arms and keeps him from slinking back into the darkness.

Fëanor who allows Fingon to hide behind him as they enter Finwë’s rooms.

Fëanor who explains to the others while Fingon hugs Maedhros for the first time since they left Valinor, in this sheltered corner they are granted. 

Fingon cannot forgive himself, not yet. But with Maedhros sheltering him from the others’ view, he can at least pretend to exist with less guilt.


End file.
